stoffert



(No Model.)

R. A. STOFFBRT 8v T. D YKES.

GIRDER.

Patented Apr ffl/ormowyioes wuimmpm, wzuengm. n. c.

IUNITED STATES l PATENT, OFFICE,

RUDOLPH AUGUST STOFFEBT AND THOMAS DYKFS, OF vGLASGOV, COUNTY i OF LANARK, SCOTLAND,

GIRDER.I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,097, dated April 12, 1887.

Application ledlOctober 12,1886. Serial No. 216,004.

(No model.) Patented in England February 2,1885,No. 1,443, and April 18, 1885, No. 4,830; in France February 4, 1885, No.166,807; in Belgium February 6, 1885, No. 67,771, and in Austria-Hungary May 29, 1885.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that we, RUDOLPH AUGUST STOFFERT and THOMAS DYKEs, both residing at Glasgow, in the county of Lanark, Scotland,

andsubjects of the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have invented certain Improvements in Girders, (for which patents have been obtained in Great Britain dated February 2, 1885, No. 1,443; France, dated February 4, 1885,

Io N o. 166,807; Belgium, dated February 6, 1885, No. 67,771; Austria Hungary, Vdated. May 29, 1885, and in Great Britain April 18, 1885, No. 4,830,) of which the following is a specification.

I5 The object of our invention is the' production of girders of iron, steel, or other suitable metal or material to fulfill the general re-` quirements of agirder, and also for combination with and support of joists and wooden or zo concrete tloors, platforms, or other structures,

and for carrying masonry or brick-Work and various general loads rested either wholly or in part upon the top or upon the bottom ange, or on both flanges simultaneously.

The improved girder consists of an upper and a lower ange of-T-section, either made solidly so of a piece or built of suitable parts to insure such T-section, but preferably the former. In general these girderT-iianges will 3o be made straight or with the requisite camber,

though obviously they may also,one or other,

or both, be built to any desired curve. These T-shaped flanges will be connected together 'and retained at the required distance apart by 3 5 a series of straps or bracing-pieces on opposite sides, such straps or .bracing-pieces presenting in front view a U or equivalent shaped contour preferably made of angle or L section, or of other suitable section having 4o two or more leaves or wings, one leaf or wing of which shall bear upon 'the central vertical feather or web of the girder T-iange, while another projecting leaf or wing simultaneously comes in contact with and bears upon the in- 4 5 ner surface of the other or horizontal feather or member of girder Tiiange,to impart rigidity to the whole and vertical and lateral stift'- ness to the entire girder structure. Each bracingpiece shall to a greater or less degree be curvilinear, rectilinear, or partly rec- 5o tilinear and partly curvilinear in form and outline, and will constitute in every case distinctly individual and detachable portions, which shall be mutually interchangeable and capable oi' being readily fitted up, in com- 55 bination with the girder T-iianges, and besecured thereto and to themselves along each side of these top and bottom T members, and with packing-pieces between where required. These bracing-pieces, which, when combined, 63 constitute the central web proper of girder, shall in each individual case bear on and be secured by rivets or bolts at one of their eX- tremes to the vertical feather of one girderiiange and to the vertical feather of the other 65 iiange of girder at two ends or feet, which are apart from each other,and to the bracing-piece on the opposite side at points where they/'cross each other on reverse sides of girder.

" The bracing-pieces and their disposition 7o shall be such, where transverse j oists are required, as to leave between or within, or be- `tween` and within them at intervals, spaces through which, without necessitating the uudoing of the main parts of the girder, bars of iron or steel, or other suitable material, of varied and convenient section and dimensions would preferably be fitted transversely within the body of the girder to rest on the lower flanges of a series of the girders, or on stools or seats intwin bearings on the lower flange of girder, thereby, with a limited over-all depth and great incidental stiffness for the girder, forming a strong structure, such as a floor, and to support concrete brick-work or like materials.

When joists of wood, instead of metallic bars, are fitted within the body of the girder, the upper flange of girder will, in general, require to be unbolted or removed for their introduction, though in certain cases these wood joists may be capable of introduction without necessitating the temporary removal of the top T- flange of girder.

The bracing-pieces, in combination with the girder T-langes, may also be arranged and disposed in a variety of ways, and all in such manner as to be interchangeable with each other, and to impart to the girder-structure a maximum or a large degree of strength for general carrying purposes for which it may be found suitable.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which our invention relates to make and use our improved girders, we have hereunto appended a sheet ot' explanatory drawings, in which the same reference-letters are used to indicate corresponding paris in all t-he figures where shown.

Figure 1 is a cross-section of girder A A', shown as in combination with and supporting timber-joisting B of a wooden floor. Fig. 2 shows part elevation or side view of a timber- 2o joist, B, and illustrates the method of cutting out or checking of same to receive and be ritted to the T-flanges A A of the supportinggirder, and between its side braces forming the center web, A2, of the girder, the top T- flange, A, of girder being temporarily removed for the introduction of the timber-joisting B into the spaces or openings shown ata, through between the braces of the web A2, and thereafter replaced and finally secured to the bracing-pieces A2, constituting girder-web.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of the girder A A A2 as without the timber-joisting B in combination.

Figs. 4 and 5 show side views of parts of the new girder A A A2, respectively, with and without timber-joisting B,in cross-section, and shows openings or spaces a for introduction of same in Fig. 5, and cross-section of timberjoisting B fitted in combination in Fig. 4, the construction being the same, with the form of the braces A2 slightly modified in Fig. 5. In Fig. 4 the bracing-pieces are shown semicircular and in Fig. 5 angled at the corners, either sharp or slightly rounded at the angles. Metallic bars B' may also be combined with this girder through the spaces a between bracingpieces, or through these spaces a and also, as shown in Figs. 10 and 11, through the openings b, through the center of the bracing-pieces themselves.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section or plan of girder shown at Fig. 4, and having top T- iiange, A, removed, and with timber-joisting B in combination. Fig. 7 is a similar horizontal section or plan of the girder A A' A2, with iron joists B', (indicated at Fig. 10,) showing, as at B', metallic joists or bars in combination, through the spaces b, within the braces A2.

Fig. 8 is an elevation or side View and Fig. 9 is a cross-section of a modification of the girder A A' A2, in which the bracing-pieces A2 bear more closely upon and are secured to each other back to back along both sides of the girder, in which ease the bracing-pieces A2 on cach side may be secured to each other at their projecting leaves or wings by rivets or bolts, as shown at a,whcn made of angleiron, all being substantially of the same practical construction, but with variations of outline of bracing-pieces A2 from that shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and in general preferably 1nverted relatively with each other on the same Side.

Figs. 10 and 11 are a side elevation and a cross-section, respectively, of the girder shown in side elevation at Fig. S, (but having the braces A2 slightly varied in outline,) illustrating its application for and combination with metallic bars or joists B', and suitable for supporting concrete or composite materials, as shown in end section, Fig. 11. The girder A A A2, as thus combined, would be serviceable in the construction of composite or concrete fire-proof floors of limited over-all depth, and under such combination there would be great incidental stiiiness imparted to the girder, as well as protection for it from the action of heat in the event of tire.

Fig. 12 is a cross-section, and Figs. 18, 14, and 15 show the girder A A A2 under variations in the arrangement and position oi' securing the bracing -pieces A2 of the girder combined with a top and bottom T-iiange, A A', for which combinations any of the adaptable bracing-pieces illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 8, and 10 maylikewise be employed, and riveted or bolted to the upper and lower members, A A', and to themselves at a a2,with,where necessary and practicable, packing-pieces between them, such girders by themselves being suitable for the carrying of general loads. In Figs. 4, 5, 8, and 10, and 13 to 15, cach individual bracing-piece A2 on oppposite sides of the upper and lower members ofthe girder A A' along both sides is shown, by preference, as inverted relatively with the immediately adjacent bracing-piece right and left of it on the same side of girder.

In Fig. 16, however, is shown a part of a side elevation of a girder of this improved construction having the U bracing-pieces A2, which constitute the web of the girder arranged diierently from those shown in Figs. 4, 5, 8, and l0, and 13 to 15-that is, without inverting them in relation to each other on the'same side, but only crossing those on the opposite side-a disposition which will be particularly suitable for light and less expensive girders.

Vhat we claim is- 1. A girder consisting of an upper and a lower iiange of T-section with an intermediate connecting-web composed of a series of bracing-pieces of angle-iron secured to each other and to the T-fianges, substantially as set forth.

2. A girder consisting of an upper and a lower ange of T-section with an intermediate connecting-web composed of a series of IIO rig

U or similar shaped bracing-pieces of angle- In testimony whereof we have signed our xo iron secured along opposite sides to each other names to this specification in the presence of and to the T-langes, substantially as set forth. two subscribing witnesses.

3. A girder consisting of an upper and a BUD. A. STOFFERT. 5 lower flange of T-seotion with an intermedi- THOS. DYKES.

ate web composed of U or similar shaped Witnesses: bracing-pieces secured to the T-ilanges in al- W. R. W. THOMSON, ternately-reversed positions, substantially as JOHN SIME,

specied. Both of 96 Buchamm Street, Glasgow. 

